Healthy breakfast cookie stacks up against cereal, bars

Cookies made with quinoa, pumpkin seeds and rolled oats offer plenty of nutrition.

I gave birth to a hobbit. My youngest doesn't have excessively hairy toes (for an almost 3-year-old), but he does drink tea and he adores breakfasts - first, second and sometimes thirds.

I conceived these breakfast cookies for him. He rolls out of bed in the morning hungry and bellies up to the table with my husband for a warm bowl of oatmeal with raisins. A little later my 4-year-old joins him. His breakfast of choice is usually a waffle or scrambled eggs. Guess who wants some too?

Lastly, I sit down for a green smoothie and some peanut butter toast. My husband and eldest have moved on to other morning chores, but my littlest is still there, swinging his feet and thoughtfully munching. And he lets me know he's very interested in sharing my smoothie and having a nibble of my toast.

All told, sometimes he's at the table for more than 45 minutes in the morning and he's still not finished.

Enter the Breakfast Cookie: Healthy enough that I have no qualms handing one over before 8 in the morning, eminently portable and delectable enough that I can lure my little hobbit away from his breakfasts to his car seat, cookie in hand.

If a food provides nutrients and fuel, it's a snack. If it's just pure fun and contains empty, overly-processed, super-sweetened calories, it's a treat. Even though it's softly studded with a handful of dark chocolate chips, this cookie tips the balances in favor of a snack.

I did an online nutritional calculator for this recipe (please note, I am not a nutritionist and did not send these cookies to a lab for analysis). At 200 calories per serving (1 cookie), 10 grams of fat, almost 3 grams of fiber, 4.5 grams of protein and a respectable selection of vitamins and minerals, I was pleased with the profile. It definitely stacks up against cereal or a breakfast bar.

These cookies are not as sweet as a traditional cookie, and they're meant to be that way. They are very moist and have a toasty nutty flavor that makes them a satisfying breakfast, snack or lunchbox addition.

If my little hobbit isn't able to complete his preferred breakfast smorgasbord, then he and I are both happy if his last course is a breakfast cookie.

Make-ahead and storage: There are myriad ways to keep these cookies on hand: Dough can be stored in the fridge for up to two days before baking. Dough can be portioned out on a baking sheet, frozen solid, then stored in airtight containers in the freezer until they are ready to be baked (add 1 to 2 minutes onto baking time.)

Once cooked, they keep in the fridge 3 to 4 days, or they can be frozen for up to three months. Tucked in a lunch bag, they will thaw by lunchtime.

Variations: This cookie is highly customizable. Feel free to switch out the seeds, nuts or fruit for other varieties at a comparable volume. If your child can't have nuts, use all seeds. If no one likes crunchy surprises, just use dried fruit.

Breakfast Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

½ cup dried quinoa

1 cup water

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup honey

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon kosher or coarse salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

1 cup dried tart cherries, chopped

½ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

½ cup roasted peanuts

½ cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line or grease a baking sheet.

Rinse quinoa (if you want to - this seed has a bitter coating that is typically removed in the commercial washing process, but I still give it a good rinse).

In a medium saucepan, add quinoa and stir over medium heat until it dries and begins to smell toasted. Add water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook about 15 minutes, until water is absorbed. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add honey and mix until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla, mixing until combined. Stir in quinoa.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, oats, salt, baking powder, coconut and flaxseed. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until just combined.

Stir in cherries, pumpkin seeds, peanuts and chocolate chips.

Shape about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and place on baking sheet. Lightly flatten.

Bake cookies in preheated oven 9 to 11 minutes until bottoms are just golden brown. Remove from heat, and after a few minutes move to a cooling rack.